Furniture

ABSTRACT

Furniture includes structure for supporting the furniture on a floor or like surface and includes structure for rotating the furniture about a predetermined vertical axis so as to prescribe a circular path. The furniture preferably includes rollers arranged at a predetermined orientation so that the furniture prescribes a predetermined circular path, on rotation of the furniture about the vertical axis.

The present invention relates to furniture, more particularly, but not exclusively to furniture for use in a learning environment such as a classroom, lecture hall or other facility at a school, college or university.

According to the broadest aspect of the invention, there is provided furniture comprising means for supporting the furniture on a floor or like surface and including means for rotating the furniture about a predetermined vertical axis so as to prescribe a circular path.

Preferably, the furniture includes roller means arranged at a predetermined orientation so that the furniture prescribes a predetermined circular path, on rotation of the furniture about the vertical axis.

Preferably, the roller means are arranged so as to define a virtual pivot point.

Conveniently, the roller means comprises at least one floor engaging wheel and, in a preferred embodiment, comprises two radially spaced and floor engaging wheels.

Preferably, each wheel is mounted for rotation about a fixed pivot.

In a preferred embodiment, the furniture includes at least one floor engaging castor, and more preferably includes a pair of floor engaging castors.

The furniture may include a seat surface supported on the furniture for use above floor level, and/or may include a work surface supported above floor level.

Preferably, the furniture comprises an integrated desk and chair unit, in which a portion of the work surface may act as a backrest for a user sat on the seat surface.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided an integrated desk and chair unit.

Other preferred features of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description and the dependent claims.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an integral desk and chair unit, in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the unit in FIGS. 1 and 2, being used in a first manner;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the unit in use in a second manner,

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of an integral desk and chair unit, in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a section through a leg of the desk of the unit shown in FIG. 5 in a first, extended, configuration and

FIG. 7 is a section through a leg of the desk of the unit shown in FIG. 5 in a second, non-extended, configuration.

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 and 2, an article of furniture according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is indicated generally at 10. The furniture 10 is in the form of an integral desk and chair unit. As will be apparent from the following description, the unit is ideally suited for use in a learning environment such as a classroom, lecture hall or other facility at a school, college or university.

The furniture 10 includes a tubular base frame 12 having a pair of lower arm portions 14 spaced apart from one another by a transverse connecting portion 16. The lower arms 14 are arranged at an angle relative to one another in a horizontal plane, so as to be diverging.

Roller means in the form of two floor engaging rubber wheels 18 are mounted on the base frame 12 adjacent the junction between the connecting portion 16 and the lower arms 14, respectively. The wheels 18 are spaced apart from one another in substantially radial manner and are mounted for rotation about a fixed pivot. The specific orientation of the wheels 18 will be described in more detail below.

A seat stem 20 extends upwardly from the connecting portion 16 of the base frame 12. A seat 22 is mounted on the furniture via a tube 24 telescopically received within the upper end of the seat stem 20. A locating pin 26 is provided for engagement with apertures (not shown) tube 24 for selectively raising or lowering the height of the seat 22. The seat 22 and/or tube 24 may be rotated through 360 degrees relative to the seat stem 20.

At the end of each arm 14, the base frame 12 includes a pair leg portions 28, extending upwardly from the lower arms 14 as viewed in FIG. 1. Footrests 30 are provided on the leg portions 28, directed inwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the furniture 10. A castor arm 32 extends outwardly from each leg portions 28, substantially in alignment with the direction of the associated diverging arm 14. A castor 34 is rotatably mounted on the end of each castor arm 32, so as to be floor engaging, in use. As will be understood by a person skilled in the art, each castor 34 includes a housing portion 36, which is able to rotate about a vertical axis, and a roller portion 38 mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis.

A table assembly 40 is mounted on the base frame 12, the table assembly 40 consisting of a work surface 42 supported on a tubular subframe indicated at 44. The sub frame 44 is telescopically mounted on the leg portions 28 of the base frame 12, as will be understood from FIG. 1. Locating pins 46 are provided on the subframe 44 for engagement with apertures (not shown) in the leg portions 28. Hence, the height of the work surface 42 can be raised or lowered relative to the base frame 12, as required.

The work surface 42 includes a well-type formation 43 for receiving pens, paperclips and the like. The work surface 42 is ergonomically designed and defines a concave region 48. This enables the furniture to be used in a conventional manner with a user sat facing forwards, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Since the seat 22 is rotatable relative to the rest of the unit 10, the furniture can also be used in other configurations. For example, FIG. 4 shows the furniture 10 in use, with a user sat facing rearwardly, with the seat 22 rotated through 180 degrees from the position shown in FIG. 3. The concave region 48 defined by the work surface 42 acts as a suitable rest, indicated at 50 in the Figures, against which the user can lean, as illustrated in FIG. 4. It will be appreciated that the seat can also be used at any other angle of rotation between those shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, for example through 90 degrees or 270 degrees, with the concave region 48 and rest 50 able to accommodate a user so positioned on the seat 22.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the furniture 10 is of advantage in that it can be rotated in use, that is to say the whole integral desk and chair unit 10 can be rotated together. More particularly, the radial positioning of the wheels 18 relative to one another defines a virtual pivot, or centre of rotation indicated at 54 in FIG. 1. When the unit 10 is rotated, the arrangement of the wheels 18 in defining the virtual pivot point is such that the wheels 18 prescribe a predetermined circular path indicated by the dotted lines at 52 in FIG. 1.

The arrangement of the wheels 18 relative to one another is also advantageous in that it provides a suitable resistance to movement of the unit 10 in other directions, for example in moving the unit 10 backwards, or to the right as viewed in FIG. 3. This aspect of the unit 10 increases the overall structural stability of the unit 10 in use, which is of particular importance when the unit is being used as a writing surface, for example, in that undesired lateral movement of the unit is substantially obviated.

Referring next to the second preferred embodiment according to the invention of the integral desk and chair unit as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, components which correspond to similar components in the first preferred embodiment are numbered similarly.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the article of furniture according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention is indicated generally at 10.

The furniture 10 includes a tubular base frame 12 having a pair of lower arm portions 14 spaced apart from one another by a transverse connecting portion 16. The lower arms 14 are arranged at an angle relative to one another in a horizontal plane, so as to be diverging.

Two castor arms 60 extend outwardly from the base frame 12 adjacent the junction between the connecting portion 16 and the lower arms 14, respectively. A castor 62 is rotatably mounted on the end of each castor arm 60, so as to be floor engaging, in use. As will be understood by a person skilled in the art, each castor 62 includes a housing portion 64, which is able to rotate about a vertical axis, and a roller portion 66 mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis.

A seat stem 20 extends upwardly from the connecting portion 16 of the base frame 12. A seat 22 is mounted on the furniture via a tube 24 received within the upper end of the seat stem 20. The tube 24 is adapted to threadedly engage with a matching thread (not visible) formed on the seat stem 22. The seat stem 20 can be rotated relative to the tube 24 for selectively raising or lowering the height of the seat 22.

The seat 22 and/or tube 24 may be rotated through 360 degrees relative to the seat stem 20 as described above with respect to the first preferred embodiment.

At the end of each arm 14, the base frame 12 includes a pair leg portions 28, extending upwardly from the lower arms 14 as viewed in FIG. 1. Roller means in the form of a floor engaging rubber wheel 68 is mounted on each leg portion 28 via an arm 70. The wheels 68 are spaced apart from one another in substantially radial manner and are mounted for rotation about a fixed pivot. The specific orientation of the wheels 68 will be described in more detail below.

A table assembly 40 is mounted on the base frame 12, the table assembly 40 consisting of a work surface 42 supported on a tubular subframe indicated at 44. The subframe 44 is telescopically mounted on the leg portions 28 of the base frame 12, as will be understood from FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

As can be seen from FIGS. 6 and 7, locating pins 46 are provided on the subframe 44 for engagement with apertures 52 in the leg portions 28. Hence, the height of the work surface 42 can be raised or lowered relative to the base frame 12, as required. A spring 54 is located within the subframe 44 between an upper fixed stop 56 mounted in the subframe 44 and a lower fixed stop 58 mounted in the leg portion 28. The spring 54 is biased towards the maximum extended configuration; a partially extended configuration is shown in FIG. 6. The operation of the locating mechanism to adjust the height of the table will be described in more detail below.

The work surface 42 includes a well-type formation 43 for receiving pens, paper clips and the like. The work surface 42 is ergonomically designed and defines a concave region 48. This enables the furniture to be used in a conventional manner with a user sat facing forwards. Since the seat 22 is rotatable relative to the rest of the unit 10, the furniture can also be used in other configurations. For example, the seat 22 may be rotated through 180 degrees from the position shown in FIG. 5 so that the furniture 10 may be used, with a user sat facing rearwardly, with the seat 22 rotated through 180 degrees from the position shown in FIG. 5. The concave region 48 defined by the work surface 42 acts as a suitable rest, indicated at 50 in FIG. 5, against which the user can lean. It will be appreciated that the seat can also be used at any other angle of rotation between those described, for example through 90 degrees or 270 degrees, with the concave region 48 and rest 50 able to accommodate a user so positioned on the seat 22.

Referring back to FIG. 5, the furniture 10 is of advantage in that it can be rotated in use, that is to say the whole integral desk and chair unit 10 can be rotated together. More particularly, the radial positioning of the wheels 68 relative to one another defines a virtual pivot, or centre of rotation. When the unit 10 is rotated, the arrangement of the wheels 68 in defining the virtual pivot point is such that the wheels 68 prescribe a predetermined circular path.

Referring back to FIGS. 6 and 7, in order to adjust the height of the work surface 42, from, for example the partially extended height as shown in FIG. 6, to the minimum height as shown in FIG. 7, the user initially disengages each locating pin 46 from its aperture 52, presses down on the work surface 42 against the spring 54 until the required aperture 52 is visible and engages the locating pin 46 in the aperture 52 in order to lock the work surface at the desired height. 

1-16. (canceled)
 17. A desk unit comprising: means for supporting the desk unit on a floor or like surface; and means for rotating the desk unit about a predetermined vertical axis so as to prescribe a circular path; wherein said means for rotating are configure to provide resistance to movement of the desk unit in directions other than in said circular path.
 18. A desk unit as claimed in claim 17, wherein said means for rotating includes roller means arranged at a predetermined orientation so that the desk unit prescribes a predetermined circular path, on rotation of the desk unit about the vertical axis.
 19. A desk unit as claimed in claim 18, wherein the roller means are arranged so as to define a virtual pivot about which the desk unit rotates.
 20. A desk unit as claimed in claim 18 wherein the roller means comprises at least one floor engaging wheel.
 21. A desk unit as claimed in claim 18 wherein the roller means comprises two radially spaced and floor engaging wheels.
 22. A desk unit as claimed in claim 18, wherein each wheel is mounted for rotation about a fixed pivot
 23. A desk unit as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a pair of floor engaging wheels.
 24. A desk unit as claimed in claim 17, further comprising at least one floor engaging castor.
 25. A desk unit as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a pair of floor engaging castors.
 26. A desk unit as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a seat surface for use above floor level.
 27. A desk unit as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a work surface supported above floor level.
 28. A desk unit as claimed in claim 17, further comprising an integrate desk and chair unit.
 29. A desk unit as claimed in claim 28 wherein the chair unit includes a seat surface supported on the chair unit for use above floor level and a work surface is supported above floor level.
 30. A desk unit as claimed in claim 29 wherein a portion of the work surface defines a backrest for a user setting on the seat surface. 